European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - July 8, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Paga 10 the stars and stripes tuesday july 8,1986 columns Anthony Lewis Man on vote is insult party politics at its worst Dwight d. Eisenhower was a dedicated conscious agent of the communist  so wrote the founder and longtime Leader of the John Birch society. Robert Welch. When the Birch society began saying things like that in the 1950s, they were dismissed As ravings of the Lunatic fringe even conservative republicans had no time for people who called president Eisenhower Secretary of slate John Foster Dulles and his brother. Allen the director of the Cia tools of  How american politics has changed. Today someone who praises members of the John Birch society As fighters for Freedom is regarded by almost All Republican senators As a suitable person to be a Federal judge a lifetime judge on a United states court of appeals. So we learn from the Senate vote on the confirmation of Daniel Manion. Manion s father Clarence was a founding member of the John Birch society. Of course Daniel Manion is not to be disqualified for his father s views Bui he has identified himself. When his father died in 1979, the in Diana Headquarters of the Birch society sent condolences Manion replied your members arc certainly the people who Are on the front line of the fight for constitutional  in  before the Senate Judic iary committee. Manion said his letter did not show that he agreed with the Birch society. "1 could not Tell you what David s. Broder he policies of the John Birch society  he said thai seems Well less than candid. Daniel Manion worked on his father s radio and television program. The Manion forum and was intimately familiar with his father s views. On the program in 1977 he called a Book by Larry Mcdonald. Dirch society spokes Man and Georgia congressman of Ultra right views. One of the finest Summa Ries of he history of our  ideology is indeed the Only reason Manion was chosen for the Bench by the Reagan administration. There is nothing else in his record that would conceivably have suggested him for a Federal judge ship. He was admitted to the bar in Indiana 13 years ago. He has never argued a Case in the 7th circuit to which he was nominated or any other Federal court of appeals. The briefs he gave the judiciary committee As examples of his work were embarrassing not Only in their Lack of Legal craftsmanship but in their Gram mar and spelling. Asked by the committee to pick 10 of his most significant cases in Law prac Tice Manion listed among them his de sense of a client sued for repairing a Volkswagen poorly so that its Gas mile age declined. In another of the 10, a Lane condemnation Case the Issue was whether erection of a Fence had caused i8.0uo in damage As a landowner claimed or $193, As the state said. The Manion affair illustrates As dramatically As any recent event what has happened 10 the Republican Pany in the age of Rea Gan Jusi look at the Senate vote 48-46 for confirmation. Of the 49 republicans present 45 voted for Daniel Manian. Among those for confirmation was sen. Alfonso d Amaio of new York. I wonder How Many of his constituents know that he thinks a person of such far out views and threadbare qualifications belongs on the Sec and highest Federal Bench. Two republicans. David Durenberger of Minnesota and Slade Gorton of washing Ion reduced the Senate s constitutional function of advice and consent to a Sleazy game. They dropped their objections to Manion when the White House promised to pick candidates they have been pushing for other judgeship. The most telling Case was Robert Dole the Senate majority Leader. Dote is a Sensi blk and intelligent Man. But he wants la be the Republican candidate for president and he sees that his party it controlled nowadays by the extreme right. As a result he has taken More and More extreme views and now he leads a fight to insult the Federal judiciary. There will be another vote on Daniel Manion after the Senate recess. It will be a Hance for republicans some of them to show that they care about something other than Solidarity with their party right Wing leadership. They might even care about the Quality of the Federal courts. A new York Tolj cml House democrats seeking credit for tax Reform and now. Once again it s Rosty time on the lax Reform front. The re publican Senate has done its work and reaped bipartisan Praise for its version of the massive restructuring of the internal Revenue system. The measure is now in the House Senate conference where rep. Dan Rostenkowski. D-lll., chairman of the House ways and Means committee is the key player the Man with More clout and maybe More at stake than any one else. This is his big moment the Chance to put his personal stamp and his party s political imprint on the most significant overhaul of lax Law in a generation. If his aides and colleagues Are Correct in gues sing that Rosly won t stay around the House much longer this is almost surely the Chance of a legislative lifetime for him. Yet. When 1 picked my Way through a wailing room full of lobbyists to see the chairman i found him in a curiously downbeat mood. His first words were i m concerned about How we approach this conference one concern it developed was the momentum behind the Senate version of the Bill. It s been building Ever since i Fiance committee chairman Bob pack Wood. R-ore., and his key democratic ally. Sen. Bill Bradley a no. Recast their legislation around the simple and appealing notion of iwo Low rates 15 and 27 percent for individuals and a Lidy 33 percent for corporations. President Reagan embraced the sen ate Bill editorialists praised it and n huge Senate majority lined up behind it. Rosty would never concede a tinge of jealousy but he did say i want to be sure we be got a level playing  in which both House Ana Senate versions gel a fair look from the conferees although rates in his Bill run up to 38 percent he said he is not opposed to a 27 percent maximum on individual taxes. I think we can gel 27 percent if we gel the reforms in the corporate area we House democrats put in Rosly said. But the Senate pushed the panic Button on iras individual retirement accounts and sales lax deductibility and we have to straighten that out. They can t have it both  when 1 saw him he was in the midst of doing what a Good Chicago politician always docs ensuring the loyally of his own troops. He was talking one by one with other ways and Means committee democrats satisfying himself that if he put them on the conference commit acc with the Senate he could count on them not going behind his Back to Cut i hair own deals with Packwood. The Way he put it was i d like 10 be comfortable that the House members Are supportive of the House  Rosty is not burdened by philosophy i m a negotiator he said. I Don t have the pleasant task of saying this is  Packwood is much the same. Both Are political pragmatists ready to Dicker and Deal. And both understand the personal and party Slakes. This lax Bill is the big Domestic Initia Tive of Reagan s second term and a potential ten strike for the gop. Boston pollster Brad Bannon told democratic leaders in Seattle that the Senate Bill is very dangerous to them because it reinforces the idea that republicans rep resent change while democrats defend the status quo. Rosly sees the problem. Referring to Reagan 9 Quick embrace of the Senate version of the Bill he says i d be Blind if i did t see they re trying 10 steal the political  when Reagan introduced the legislation Over a year ago Rosty recalled i was told by the House democratic leadership be sure it s a m xxx or mows wows. Democratic Bill and be sure we get the credit. I did that when almost no one thought i could. Now the republicans have passed a completely different Bill and they re grabbing credit. I can t do anything about  a but he can or at least he can try. He will do his damnedest to set up the conference so the Price for lower rates and continued Middle class benefits like iras must be paid by higher corporate taxes and More loophole closing. If re publicans let the. Fight take thai shape then democrats May Salvage some credit for themselves and maybe a useful ejection Issue. As for Rosty s personal stake those who know him Best say he d love 10 be speaker when tip o Neui Steps Down but they doubt he will Challenge majority Leader Jim Wright of Texas. And they also doubt he will serve very Long in Congress under a speaker Wight some of he key aides Are already making Plant of their own Ouide Congress so this is it Tor oily hit Chance to show he is not just a Paloski the lat mayor Daley picked 28 Yean ago to carry his water in Washington but a heavyweight who can shape a major tax re form and maybe help his hard pressed party find an Issue. I think i m a smart Democrat he told me. When a conservative Republican president offers a Reform As generous at this one to Middle class and working people my father would turn Over in his grave if i did t take advantage of  rest assured Rosly will try to Lake advantage cd Wun new fan Mun on up